The Uniting Church of St James
Curtin, ACT
Minister-in-Placement: Revd Rex A E Hunt, MSc(Hons), GradDipCommMgt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE
CELEBRATION OF LIFE
5 August 2007. Pentecost 10C. (Green).
10.30am. Contemporary liturgical worship.
Celebrating community: Sacrament of Holy Communion
Acknowledgement of land
(An act towards reconciliation by the Church of St James, Curtin.)
For thousands of years Indigenous people have walked
in this land, on their own country.
Their relationship with the land is at the centre of their lives.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal People and their stewardship
of this land throughout the ages.
St James is a safe place for all people to worship regardless of
race, creed, age, cultural background or sexual orientation
GATHERING
Gathering music
Entry into worship
The gong is sounded three times
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life in the presentness of God.
Lighting of community candle
The candle is lit
This is the light that is lit for everyone who comes into the world.
Bear this light to others, one by one.
Let the flame go from life to life till all is lit with its warmth. (Eliz. Strong)
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
“Our life has its seasons” (Tune: Kotuku) 113 AA
Our life has its seasons,
and God has the reasons
why spring follows winter,
and new leaves grow,
for there's a connection
with our resurrection
that flowers will bud
after frost and snow
So there's never a time to stop believing,
there's never a time for hope to die,
there's never a time to stop loving,
these three things go on.
There's a time to be planting,
a time to be plucking,
a time to be laughing,
a time to weep,
a time to be building,
a time to be breaking,
a time to be waking,
a time to sleep,
But there's never a time to stop believing,
there's never a time for hope to die,
there's never a time to stop loving,
these three things go on.
There's a time to be hurting,
a time to be healing,
a time to be saving,
a time to spend,
a time to be grieving,
a time to be dancing,
a time for beginning,
a time to end,
But there's never a time to stop believing,
there's never a time for hope to die,
there's never a time to stop loving,
these three things go on. Shirley Murray
Remain standing
Opening sentences
v1 Come along with me as a sojourner in faith.
v2 Bring along a sense of expectancy
a sense of high hopes
a glimpse of future possibility
a vivid imagination.
For God's creation is not done.
v3 We are called to pioneer forth toward a future yet unnamed.
As we venture forward we leave behind our desires for
a no-risk life
worldly accumulations
certainty of answers.
v4 Let us travel light in the spirit of faith and expectation
toward the God of our hopes and dreams.
Let us be a witness to God's future breaking in.
v1 Come along with me as a sojourner in faith
secure in the knowledge
that we never travel alone. (Susan Greg-Schroeder)
Prayer
We pray:
God of the important and the common place,
you reach into our lives through story.
Open our hearts to be attentive:
that seeing, we may perceive,
and hearing, we may understand,
and understanding, we may act.
Amen
Hymn "God called us" (Tune: ‘Duke Street’. 88 88. 439 TiS)
God, you have called us to this hour:
now two or three or many claim
the promised gift of living power.
as your church meets in Jesus' name.
Open our minds and set us free
from spite and hurt, that we may face
the dread responsibility
of your church, meeting in this place.
Encouraged by the risk you take
in trusting us to do your will,
we dare to offer, for your sake,
all this church gath'ring can fulfil.
Janet Wootton. © Stainer & Bell Ltd (Title and last line adapted/RAEHunt)
The people sit after the hymn
Welcome
In your own words
A warm welcome is extended to all.
Especially those who are worshipping at St James for the first time
or who have returned after an absence.
Your presence both enriches us and this time of celebration together.
Refer to printed liturgy.
Fellowship hour following worship.
Those visiting, please sign our Visitors book.
Silence
In this time of silence together in this sacred place...
may it renew our hope
may it refresh our courage
may it lift our spirits
may it restore us in faith.
Silence
Music of reflection
EXPLORING
Reading from our religious tradition
A story from our religious tradition will be told by (N).
Gospel:
Luke 12:13-21 (Inclusive Text)
A man in the crowd said to Jesus,
'Teacher, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.'
'My friend,' Jesus replied 'who appointed me your judge,
or the arbitrator of your claims?'
Then Jesus said to them,
'Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind,
for people's lives are not made secure by what they own,
even when they have more than they need.'
Then Jesus told them a parable:
'There was once a rich man who,
having a good harvest from his land, thought to himself,
"What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops."
Then that man said,
"This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns
and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them,
and I will say to my soul:
My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come;
take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time."
But God said to him,
"Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul;
and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?"
So it is when people store up treasure for themselves
in place of making themselves rich in the sight of God.
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A celebration of faith
In response to the word reflected on, let us stand and share together a celebration of faith.
The people stand
In God, Source of Life
All our deaths are not the final word,
our moments of crisis are part of eternal possibility,
and our weakness is taken up into the courage of God.
As followers of Jesus of the Way,
All our humanness is touched with divine life,
our tears are mingled with longing love,
and our solidarity with those who suffer
is joined by divine presence.
In the Spirit of Creativity,
All there are no boundaries on the dream,
there is no end to hope,
and we will never live beyond the cherishing of God. (Adapted/D. McRae-McMahon/bst)
The peace
Let us greet another as a sign of God's peace.
The peace of God is here... to stay.
All Thanks be to God.
You are invited to share the peace with your neighbours.
Hymn of the Month
“Buried in my being” (Tune: ‘Cranham’, 65 65D) 3 TMT
Buried in my being many voices dwell,
sharing all the stories past and present tell;
deeper than these voices silence weaves as one
all the threads that form life's tapestries of sun.
Deeper than my thinking lies my wisdom spring-
ancient dream-time river - songs creation sings.
Yet beyond this wisdom dwells unknowing's cloud
holding all together in the mystery - God.
Hidden in the journey questing spirits make
lie the diverse pathways pilgrim travellers take;
but beyond the many quests of human kind
dwells the wondrous mystery birthing heart and mind.
You, O God, are being - wisdom's fountain head,
Spirit's goal and journey, pilgrim wine and bread,
fire that keeps me travelling, nurture for my heart,
oneness of the mystery glimpsed in life and art. W L Wallace
Care candle
We are people of all ages who enter this space bringing our joys and concerns.
Joys and concerns shared.
In all our joys and in all our concerns, may we be ever mindful
of the presentness of God among us,
and to see the new possibilities of the now.
The Care candle is lit
And let us recommit ourselves to the inclusive ways of Jesus.
Prayers
Pastoral
Lord's Prayer
You are invited to pray this contemporary prayer in the spirit of the Lord's Prayer, and in your original language, as that is appropriate
All God - heart of the world:
revealed through every aspect of creation:
understood through our awareness.
May we honour the holiness of creation and act accordingly
so that your love is reflected in the way we live.
May we always be thankful for the food we eat
and the friends we have.
May we forgive those who transgress against us
and be forgiven for our own.
In the freedom of love may we live as your heartbeat
and not be compromised by hesitation.
Through our freedom, may your justice
be seen and heard and experienced
forever and ever. Sherri J. Weinberg
CELEBRATING
With the children
Children gather on the conversation mat
Conversation
"Somewhere someone"
The kingdom of love is coming because:
All somewhere someone is kind when others are unkind,
somewhere someone shares with another in need,
somewhere someone refuses to hate, while others hate,
somewhere someone is patient - and waits in love,
somewhere someone returns good for evil,
somewhere someone serves another, in love,
somewhere someone is calm in a storm,
somewhere someone is loving everybody.
Is that someone you? (jke)
Offerings
Our offerings for the work of ministry in this place and beyond,
and our gifts of bread and wine, shall now be received.
Presentation The people stand, as they are able as the gifts are presented
We pray:
Seeking God, all that we have is yours.
All Bless what we have been moved to share,
that our love for one another may increase.
Amen.
The people sit
CELEBRATING COMMUNITY: SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Welcoming to the Table
At this table we give thanks for
justice, love, peace and freedom.
All At this table we give thanks for friends and strangers.
At this table we welcome old and young.
All are invited. (Carter Heyward)
Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
All And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
All We lift them up in gratitude.
Let us give thanks
All It is right to give our praise.
Source of Life and Creativity whom we name God,
we are gathered in your presence.
Here we will offer praise and thanksgiving.
Here we will remember the words and deeds of the one called Jesus of Nazareth,
who dared to call you Abba
and invited us to do the same.
We remember that wherever he came, people rediscovered
their humanity, became filled with new meaning and purpose,
and found a new courage to live,
not just for themselves but for others.
We remember how he spoke of a new reality he called the realm of God,
already among us yet coming in ever greater fullness,
creating communities of justice, love and peace.
We remember how he spoke in parables about
a lost coin, a lost child and a sheep that strayed,
in order to proclaim your inclusive love.
And we remember our tradition over the ages…
How, in a meal with his disciples, he took bread in his hands,
blessed it, broke it, and shared it with them:
‘Let the bread you share be the means of my presence with you for all time.’
After the meal, Jesus poured a cup of wine:
‘Share this cup, all of you, as a remembrance of the open meals I shared with all.’
Bread and wine
So now we take this bread and wine,
breaking it and pouring it out…
that they might be shared among us as equals.
Bread broaken, wine poured out
May they nourish and sustain us on our life’s journey:
transforming, enabling, and empowering us,
as we continue to follow in the way of Jesus. (Adapted/ Richard Osing, L&L Seminar)
Communion
Let us break bread together.
All Together, we celebrate the festival of our liberation.
Bread and wine served in the pews
After communion
Bind us together Enfolding God,
as those who feel your love under our feet
in the warmth of this, our holy ground.
SCATTERING
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
Some weeks ago Rex received an eMail from a very small Anglican church in Leicestershire, England – called St Peter’s. They have been without a priest for three years so lay people have often led worship, and often used one of Rex’s liturgies to shape theirs. Today they meet together as a Congregation for the last time. And they will once again be shaping their final liturgy using material from this liturgy.
This hymn, written by the English hymn writer Andrew Pratt, has been specially selected for their service.
So as we sing it now, and they sing it some hours later, we do so in solidarity with them. And may they and we, continue to be blessed.
“God marks no ending…” (Tune: ‘Intercessor’, 11 10 11 10. 587 TiS) 150 RP
God marks no ending, only new beginnings,
until the consummation of our lives;
God keeps no count of losses, nor of winnings,
we move through grace, the holy spirit thrives.
So as we go beyond this time, this setting,
remembering all the laughter and the tears,
we go with God in faith, so not regretting
the moments shared, the hopes, the dreams, the fears.
Remain standing
Words of mission
Time has now come for us to leave this sacred place.
As we do, may we embrace the challenges of our lives and our world...
The community candle is extinguished
As we leave this place of worship and celebration:
may we remember that each day
offers more things than we can do.
All May we do what needs to be done,
postpone what does not,
and be at peace with what we can be and do.
Therefore, may we learn to separate
that which matters most
All and that which matters least of all.
Blessing words
And now may the blessings of life be upon us, and upon this congregation.
May the memories we gather here give us hope for the future.
May the love that we share bring strength and joy to our hearts,
and the peace of this community be with us until we meet again.
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont) “God marks no ending…” (Tune: ‘Intercessor’, 11 10 11 10. 587 TiS) 150 RP
Though parted for a while, we travel onward,
not knowing what the future has in store.
This phase will close, the spirit draws us forward,
we've tasted love, but God has promised more (Andrew Pratt)
The people sit after the hymn
'This week' at St James
Notices
Birthdays and anniversaries
Significant events
Journey candles
Music
Fellowship
Morning tea is now served.
You are invited to share in the moment of fellowship.
You are invited to keep this copy of the liturgy and take it home with you
to share with another member of your family, or with a friend.
The contemporary hymns used in this liturgy,
in addition to those from Together in Song,
are reproduced with permission under license #A1197.
LicenSing - Copyright cleared music for churches.
Some of the resources used in shaping this liturgy:
Alleluia Aotearoa. Hymns and songs for all churches. 1993. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Binkley, C. G.; J. M. McKeel. 2001. Jesus and his kingdom of equals. An international curriculum on the life and teaching of Jesus. CA: Santa Rosa. Polebridge Press.
Inclusive readings. Year C. 2006. Qld: Brisbane. Inclusive Language Project. In private circulation.
Iona Community. 2001. Iona abbey worship book. Scotland: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
McRae-McMahon, D. 1996. The glory of blood, sweat and tears. Liturgies for living and dying. VIC: Melbourne. JBCE.
Osing, R. 2006. Liturgy: Holy Eucharist. In private circulation from the author.
Pratt, A. 2006. Reclaiming praise. Hymns from a spiritual journey. GtB: London. Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Wallace, W. L. 2001. The mystery telling. Hymns and songs for the new millennium. NY: Kingston. Selah Publishing.
Web sites:
UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. UUA.
Sherri Weinberg. St Paul's Presbyterian Church. NZ: Devonport.
Stainer & Bell Ltd. Web site: hymns.uk.com
Carter Heyward, quoted in L Bruce Miller. Edmonton, Canada